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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29119179">reflect</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sillyslime/pseuds/sillyslime'>sillyslime</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Just Roll With It (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crying, Flowers, Gen, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Rain, Sad Br'aad Vengolor, Whump, in which this would be post arc 3 ungoro war, most of these characters are mentioned!!!, spoilers for like...entire campaign ig</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:01:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,502</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29119179</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sillyslime/pseuds/sillyslime</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In a field of fallen foes, Br’aad reflects on everything that happened.</p><p>(in which if arc 3 happened, this would be just after the war, if everyone had died).</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Br'aad Vengolor &amp; Everyone, Br'aad Vengolor &amp; Sylnan Vengolor, Mountain &amp; Br'aad Vengolor, Ob'nockshai &amp; Br'aad Vengolor, Oriana/Taxi (Just Roll With It), Taxi &amp; Br'aad Vengolor, Velrisa &amp; Br'aad Vengolor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>reflect</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>tw // death</p><p>i hope this is good!!! brain thought of angst and here we are :D</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s hard to look at graves, Br’aad realizes.</p><p> </p><p>There are too many of them here, all lined up in a field of black roses. The ‘field of the fallen’, everyone calls it. For all the people that had fallen during the war.</p><p> </p><p>Br’aad had expected to either die alongside his friends, or have them by his side when they won the war, but not….not this.</p><p> </p><p>He hadn’t expected to be sitting here, by a tree in the cool breeze of the afternoon, right by his friends’ graves.</p><p> </p><p>Not one of the Fated had survived except for him. Mountain, Velrisa and Taxi had met their demise during the battle, and just when Br’aad was certain Sylnan would pull through in recovery, he died in his sleep.</p><p> </p><p>Br’aad hadn’t wanted them to die, but he was at least glad that his brother got a peaceful death, and didn’t have to endure pain.</p><p> </p><p>He had tried to ask Weejas about bringing them back, after Weejas realized she had lost both her new champion, and her former champion, but Weejas explained that she cannot break the rules, and that unfortunately, she cannot bring them back.</p><p> </p><p>And so he sought out the Storyteller, albeit hopelessly, considering he knew the Storyteller had to also follow the rules of time, but it didn’t mean he didn’t try.</p><p> </p><p>After all of that, Br’aad didn’t attend the celebration for defeating Ungoro, he simply couldn’t. After the funeral of his friends, he couldn’t celebrate.</p><p> </p><p>Now, here he is, sitting in the field while everyone is going back to their normal lives. Many people had tried to approach him and tell him how brave he was and give him attention, but someone always had his back to allow him to make his way to the field alone.</p><p> </p><p>He’s standing by Sylnan’s grave, noticing the dagger placed atop the grave, his brother’s dagger. Picking it up, he examines it and then slowly places it back on the grave, finding a spot a bit far away from the grave to sit down. He feels tears roll down his face, falling into his lap and staining his white pants.</p><p> </p><p>Looking at the grave, he smiles sadly. “H-Hey Sylnan. I-It’s been a few days since I last visited...how are you doing? People have been trying to help me out after everything I went through, both emotionally and physically, and… I’ve been trying because I know you would want me to, but it's just so hard. I miss you so much, and it feels like the world is lost without you. I-Is Katherine doing okay? I hope you’re with her at least. And, if you’re with Mom...tell her I love her for me, okay? I love you, Sylnan, and I miss you more than I can express.”</p><p> </p><p>Br’aad looks down at his hand, seeing the gold tattoos tangle around his palm as purple lines thread through the lines already made by the tattoos. The purple appeared ever since Br’aad saw that… <em> he </em>was back, and after what happened with Mountain, the purple decided to return. And there, on his hand, was a scar, a scar that he got to protect Sylnan.</p><p> </p><p>The scar was worth getting, even if Sylnan didn’t end up surviving in the end, but he also knew it would always remind him of that day. The day he saved the world, but failed to save his friends.</p><p> </p><p>Moving on from Sylnan’s grave, he approached Velrisa’s next. Her scythe was placed in the ground beside her grave, after Ander insisted before he died that her scythe be placed next to her grave, and Br’aad had placed it there with his own hands. Her cloak was also placed upon her scythe, because despite Ander telling him that he should take it, it didn’t feel right to take. It belonged to her, whether she was here or not. As for her ghost lantern, Br’aad had that placed in his room in town, along with his wand, Sylnan’s cloak, Taxi’s elephant statue, and Flametongue.</p><p> </p><p>Sitting down, he takes a look up at the dark clouds, before looking over at the scythe, and then at the grave. “Hey, Velrisa. What’s going on in the afterlife? Are you with Ander? I hope so, you deserve to have your uncle by your side. A-are our friends up there too with you? If they are, I hope you and them are doing well. It’s been hard without you here to keep everyone in check. You were always the calm and collected one, but you were fun to be around. I...I hope you’re at peace now.”</p><p> </p><p>The sky starts to darken as he feels a few drops of rain hit his hair. Pulling up his hood on the purple cloak he got a few days ago, he stands up, hearing the rain hit the roses as he moves his way over to Taxi’s grave.</p><p> </p><p>Out of all the flowers nearby the grave, black roses didn’t seem like they fitted with Taxi’s personality, so Br’aad had planted a white daisy beside his grave, along with his quarterstaff. Taking in a deep breath and wiping away the tears that were threatening to spill and had built up from him holding in his tears by Velrisa’s grave. <br/><br/>“Hey Taxi. how...how are you? You’re probably wondering how Oriana is doing, and...well, she’s doing okay. Your death hit her hard, but...I could tell she was glad to fight by your side one last time. You guys were the dynamic duo during that fight, and I knew she gave you so much strength. Just know that...as long as she thinks of you, you’ll still have that strength. You may have seen yourself as weak, but.. Taxi the Tabaxi, you were always the strongest.” </p><p> </p><p>He stands up, a few fresh tears falling onto the ground and blending into the rainfall, and finally, as Br’aad shivers from the rain, he makes his way over to one last grave. Mountain’s.</p><p> </p><p>There was Mountain’s infinite mead flask leaning against the grave, a promise that Br’aad owed to Mountain. Right before Mountain died, he told Br’aad to put the flask by his grave, so Br’aad had done just that.</p><p> </p><p>Once Br’aad arrives, he sits down, and looks at the grave. When he blinks, however, he notices someone sitting on the grave. The familiar ticks of a clock ring in his ears, and finally, the chime after a final tick is heard around him, as the rainfall slows to a stop, and there, on the grave, is the one person he doesn’t want to see.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, their deaths were quite unfortunate, hm?” Ob’nockshai looks into Br’aad’s eyes, a twisted grin on his face as he stands up from the grave and sits down beside Br’aad, putting a hand on his shoulder. Br’aad immediately flinches, moving away from Ob’nockshai as fast as he can.</p><p> </p><p>“What are you doing here…?” He asks, his voice wavering. The coldness from around him still hits, sending goosebumps all over his skin as he shivers again. Maybe he’s getting hypothermia and hallucinating, he hopes. He doesn’t want this to be real.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m here to pay my respects! After all, the Fated fought such a brave battle, including you, my son. It’s a shame they’re gone now.” There are many hints of sarcasm in Ob’s voice, which sends Br’aad on edge.</p><p> </p><p>“Respects?! Respects, my ass! You tortured my friends the entire time I was in your pact, or out of it! You manipulated Mountain and promised a fake promise, and then… the worst thing of all your hideous acts, is that you fucking killed him. You murdered him in the middle of that battle.” Br’aad’s hands clenched together and formed fists, and he knows his hands are shaking over how furious he is.</p><p> </p><p>“Everyone else thought it was all of Ungoro’s minions, but I know better. It was <em> you </em>. Why did you do that? Why did you kill Sylnan and force me to go on a big journey to bring him back when without you, that wouldn’t have happened in the first place, why did you kill Velrisa, which luckily that mistake got erased thanks to your father, AND why did you kill Mountain when he did nothing wrong?” His voice cracks at the end of his rant, anger on his face as rapid tears pour down his face.</p><p> </p><p>“Because Br’aad, that’s the name of the game. All of these people, they’re pawns, you are, your friends are, and I was simply making my move. If they die, it’s not my problem, their deaths are for the fun of the game.” He walks up to Br’aad, who sits there, shaking out of anger and from the freezing cold. He grabs Br’aad by the collar of his blue tunic, lifting him up and looking back into his eyes again.</p><p> </p><p>“Just… leave me alone...i-if I’m just a pawn to you, why am I so important?” Br’aad’s voice is quiet now, nearly a whisper, as he closes his eyes and allows his tears to continue to fall.</p><p> </p><p>“Br’aad Vengolor, you’re the most interesting character this world has ever seen. Even with all of these bad things going on, you continue to get up and keep going. I’m interested to see when you’ll finally crack, when all of that sadness builds up and unleashes.” Ob’nockshai hums for a moment, which makes Br’aad feel nauseous over how pleased Ob’nockshai sounds.</p><p><br/><br/>“I’m even more interested to see when your peppy personality is gone and you’re nothing but a hollow person. Until then, I will wait.” Ob’nockshai offers Br’aad a smile as Br’aad notices Ob’nockshai’s hands starting to glow a faint purple. He begins to struggle in Ob’nockshai’s grip, in an attempt to get out of his grasp.</p><p> </p><p>Ob’nockshai places his free hand on Br’aad’s forehead, and Br’aad notices his tattoos glowing purple, before turning back to gold. </p><p> </p><p>“Goodbye, Br’aad. Until next time.” The second Ob’nockshai disappears, Br’aad feels his body hit the ground, and time picks up once again. As the rain falls again, Br’aad’s vision starts to turn to white, and as he tries to hang onto unconsciousness, he finally gives into the exhaustion. </p><p> </p><p>__________________</p><p><br/><br/>“Br’aad, Br’aad. Wake up.” His eyes fluttered open to see Oriana hovering over him, and as he sits up, he notices he’s back in his room, on his bed, wrapped in many blankets and in new clothes. </p><p> </p><p>“Wh-What happened?” He asks, wrapping his fingers around the blankets and pulling it close to himself. He looks at Oriana, who sighs with relief as she fiddles with her fingers.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not sure. I found you in the field, unconscious and pale. It’s really cold out there, and I was worried you were hypothermic, so I brought you back here, warmed you up and helped you get out of those wet clothes.” Oriana explains, looking at Br’aad before glancing out the window. “Do you remember what happened before you passed out?” </p><p> </p><p>“I...I was visiting everyone’s graves and…” Br’aad thinks for a moment, and the memory from earlier clicks into his head. Fear and nervousness immediately stabs through his heart at the thought of what happened being real, but nonetheless, he continued to explain. “And Ob’nockshai was there. H-He...he was the one that knocked me out, I think.”</p><p> </p><p>Oriana had been told right before the war about everything Ob’nockshai did, so she understood why Br’aad sounded so upset. Slight anger is shown on her face as she nods, standing up and continuing to look out the window. “Why was he there, Br’aad?”</p><p><br/><br/>“He wanted to ‘pay his respects’, but that’s absolute bullshit. He told me that...that after everything he did, and...and I didn’t tell you this, but he killed Mountain too, it wasn’t Ungoro’s minions, it was <em> him </em>. But… after everything he did, he said he wanted to see me crack until I was nothing but a sad shell of what I used to be.” Tears well up in Br’aad’s eyes again. </p><p> </p><p>“He killed Mountain? Holy...Br’aad, I’m so sorry. But I promise you, we’ll figure something out.” Standing up, she walks over to where Br’aad keeps all the magic items of the Fated and grabs Flametongue, speaking the word to activate it and hands it over to Br’aad. “Use that to keep you warm, alright? I’m gonna go make some food for you. If you need anything, just shout.” Walking down the stairs, she leaves Br’aad to his thoughts.</p><p> </p><p>Br’aad stands up, carefully keeping the blankets on whilst also making sure to keep Flametongue close but not too close that it makes the blankets catch fire. He goes over to the window, looking out of it and watching the rainfall. He stands there for awhile, just watching the rain pour as he thinks.</p><p> </p><p>Oriana is great company, he now knows, and he’s very grateful to have her still here. It was good to have her by his side, after everything that happened, as well as him still not knowing where his dad is, since he never appeared again after everyone was informed that he was missing.</p><p> </p><p>“Br’aad?” The voice isn’t Oriana’s, which confuses him,and when he turns around, he sees Katherine, by herself, standing there with a small smile on her face. “Katherine?”</p><p> </p><p>Running up to her, he wrapped his arms around her, embracing his (basically) sister-in-law tightly. “How are you doing? How’s Sylnan?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m doing alright. Sylnan’s good too, and actually, that’s why I’m here. He wanted me to tell you that he wants you to keep fighting no matter what, and that he’ll always be by your side, even if he’s not physically there.” Br’aad smiled at this, letting go of Katherine and nodding.</p><p> </p><p>“Can you tell him I love him? And that...that I miss him, more than anything? Also, tell him that I promise I won’t stop fighting.” He requests, to which Katherine nods, a caring look on her face. She takes out something from her pocket and places it in Br’aad’s palm. When Br’aad looks at it, he notices that it’s a ring. </p><p> </p><p>“This is your brother’s, it’s something that he stole when I was still alive, and he gifted it to me. I want you to have it. To keep his memory alive.” Br’aad slips the ring on his middle finger, looking at the sapphire in the ring. </p><p> </p><p>“Thank you, Katherine.” </p><p> </p><p>“You’re welcome Br’aad. Goodbye for now. And don’t forget what your brother said.” </p><p> </p><p>Katherine disappears in front of his eyes, just as he hears Oriana call for him to come down and get food. Looking out the window, he swears he sees his friends’ silhouettes from outside, but he shakes it off and runs down the stairs.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry, Br’aad, we’re always going to be here, you strong ass bitch.” The gruff voice of Mountain fills his head, and Br’aad smiles for a moment.</p><p> </p><p>His friends may not be here physically, but as long as they’re here emotionally and mentally, Br’aad won’t feel so alone.</p>
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